A common ancestor at 500 ka?
H. heid. in Europe and Africa
LCA of Nea. and sapiens? The origin of our species (H. sapiens) TWO origins to explain:
1.The shared (species) features
2. Non-shared (regional/racial) features Origins of modern human behaviour?
Complex technology
“Houses Networking”
Symbolic burials
Art Models of modern human origins
1984 1970
1987: Mitochondrial Eve hits the headlines!
Mitochondrial DNA and human evolution Nature 325, 31-36 Rebecca L. Cann, Mark Stoneking & Allan C. Wilson (1987)
African female ancestor ~200ka The pendulum starts swinging!
2000 1995 1995 1984 1970 The African record H. sapiens: fossils suggest an African origin for the modern pattern ~ 150-200ka?
Age ka ~260 ~150? ~160? ~195? >130
Tim White Lieberman Pinnacle Point Howiesonspoort
Microliths Klasies Twin Rivers Enakpune Mumba ya Muto Shellfishing
Grotta Moscerini
Ochre
Kapthurin Twin Rivers Klasies Qafzeh Blombos
300 ka 200 150 100 50 0 Taforalt
Shell beads
Skhul Enakpune Blombos ya Muto Early H. sapiens fossils Omo Kibish Herto
“Modern” anatomy and behaviour have deep roots in Africa… ~60 ka: Modern Humans start to leave Africa…
? Out of Africa Mitochondrial DNA
Out of Africa Y-chromosome DNA The evolution of regionality (“race”)
DNA benetton Natural selection
Bottlenecks + Founder Effects
Sexual/cultural selection We are all the same (species), but we all look different (individuals, ♀/♂, regions, “races”).
Species Individuals (Homo sapiens) large brain Natural Selection body shape high round skull Sexual Selection skin colour small face hair chin Founder Effect nose small browridges Drift eyes lightly-built skeltn lips etc
Chauvet ~35ka
40-60 ka: Neanderthals and moderns meet?
? Art and music 30-40 ka Female figurines Europe and Asia Animals and flutes: Hohle Fels & Vogelherd ~ 40ka What happened to the Neanderthals? Continuity? Evolved into the Cro-Magnons Genetically absorbed
Extinction? Interpopulation conflict Demographic disadvantage Competitive exclusion Infectious diseases Distinct physiologies/diets Competition/fluctuating climates Climate change Part of megafaunal extinctions
Modelling using Greenland Ice Core and European Pollen data: did a combination of low temperatures, rapid oscillations AND new competitors cause the final extinction of the Neanderthals in Europe? Period of high climatic Nea extinction stress AND Nea-mod overlap
Stringer et al. 2003/The Stage 3 Project Interbreeding?
Ancient DNA
Cell
1. Interbreeding with Neas?
2.Interbreeding with Denisovans?
The pendulum swings back a bit!
2012 “Mostly Out of Africa”
The future? The future? Our future is partly up to us…. Thanks to you all for listening, and to… The Natural History Museum London and all my sources of data and illustrations..